Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन कार्यो यत्नेन कार्तिके । एकोऽपि नियमः कश्चित्सुसूक्ष्मोऽपि द्विजोत्तमाः

Transliteration

tasmātsarvaprayatnena kāryo yatnena kārtike | eko'pi niyamaḥ kaścitsusūkṣmo'pi dvijottamāḥ

Translation

ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ, ಓ ದ್ವಿಜೋತ್ತಮರೇ, ವಿಶೇಷವಾಗಿ ಕಾರ್ತಿಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನದಿಂದ—ಅತಿ ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮವಾದರೂ ಒಂದೇ ನಿಯಮವನ್ನಾದರೂ ನಿಶ್ಚಯವಾಗಿ ಆಚರಿಸಬೇಕು।

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इत्यव्ययीभावप्रयोगः; हेतौ/तस्मादर्थे (indeclinable sense: 'therefore/from that')

• सर्व: all/entire
• सर्व: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन (agreeing with प्रयत्नेन)

• प्रयत्नेन: with effort
• प्रयत्नेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन

• कार्यः: should be done
• कार्यः: Vidhi (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √कृ (धातु) → कार्य (कृदन्त, यत्)
• Form: विधेयविशेषण (gerundive/obligatory); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• यत्नेन: with diligence
• यत्नेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचन

• कार्तिके: in (the month of) Kārtika
• कार्तिके: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन

• एकः: one
• एकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थे (particle: 'even/also')

• नियमः: a rule/observance
• नियमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• कश्चित्: some
• कश्चित्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अनिश्चितवाचक सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (agreeing with नियमः)

• सुसूक्ष्मः: very subtle/minute
• सुसूक्ष्मः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपसर्गपूर्वक विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थे (particle)

• द्विजोत्तमाः: O best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (द्विजानाम् उत्तमाः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे (vocative sense)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kārtika (time-tīrtha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijo-ttamāḥ (best of twice-born) explicitly addressed

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kārtika evening on a riverbank/temple courtyard: rows of small lamps (dīpas), devotees performing a simple vow with folded hands; starry autumn sky.

Characters & Entities

• Kārtika
• Niyama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Kārtika, even a modest, sincere practice carries great value; consistency matters more than grandeur.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the verse glorifies the sacred month Kārtika as a ‘pilgrimage in time’.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Undertake at least one niyama during Kārtika, even if minimal.